In Florida, gun retailers reported a 400% increase in bullet sales and an upsurge in purchases of rifles and shotguns.

"It's a concentrated Y2K situation," said Khaled Akkawe, who sold more than 100 assault rifles and shotguns from his two stores in the towns of Apopka and Casselberry.

"Any time something like this happens - this happens," said Ted Bickish, manager of Rieg's Gun Shop and Shooting Range in Orlando. A sheriff's office in the state received special permission to use a helicopter to catch a fugitive from Pennsylvania.

Military recruitment officers in Texas, Georgia and Tennessee reported unprecedented increases in applications. "We've been getting a lot of calls asking if there's going to be a draft," said Fernando Trevino, a Texas recruitment officer.

In Longwood, Florida, the M&M Flags and Banners business had almost sold out of American flags by mid-afternoon on Tuesday.

"By Friday, there won't be any flags left in the country," said the owner, James Knapton, as he placed an order for $20,000 (£13,700) of extra stock.

An unidentified man spent most of Wednesday waving an American flag from a bridge over the busy Interstate 480 in Ohio. A commuter, Rob Sinatra, took him a bottle of water. "It really cheered us up," said Sinatra.

In Dearborn, Michigan, an American Arab supermarket proprietor, Issam Koussan, heard two men in a car shout threats at his customers on Wednesday. He drove to a nearby flag shop and paid $116 (£79) to purchase two 5ft by 8ft American flags - one for his home and one for his shop. "We are all very sad," Koussan told the Detroit News. Staff at the Arab Community Centre in the town reported 12 abusive telephone calls during the day and about 60 offering money or support.

Two hundred and forty passengers travelling from Tokyo to Chicago were stranded in Fairbanks, Alaska. Their baggage remained in the luggage hold. Local tourist authorities arranged a visit to the University of Alaska museum, a shopping trip, and lunch at the Alaskaland Salmon Bake. They watched the Northern Lights.

"It's my one chance to understand Alaska," said Arai Goro, a university professor from Tokyo.